How I wore it: Lady in Red

Woof, what a day it was yesterday. After all the drama with my computer, I got a free upgrade to the second most-modern OS (yay!) on Wednesday ... but the entirety of my computer was wiped clean (fail). I think my German certified Genius wasn't that much of a Genius. Either way, I have fancy new stuff and my computer is mostly back to normal. Mostly.

Anyway, Wednesday, apart from Mac trauma, was a lovely day. My husband arrived in Hamburg from Athens ... just in time for our second wedding anniversary! Yup, we got married on June 30th, 2008, just a day after Spain won the Euro Cup. Because it was a special occasion, I wanted to up the ante in the glam department: I wore my contact lenses, my top summer dress, and fun accessories:

Now I play favorites all the time ("That's my favorite movie!" "But you said the other on was your favorite!" "No, that's my favorite Hindi movie. There's a difference."), which always manages to frustrate my absolutist husband. But whatever I may ever say, this red dress above? Is my favorite. Summer. Dress. It's simple: red, linen, not even that particularly flattering from the side and the back, but whenever I wear it (and I've owned it since 2005), I feel like a million bucks. What do you know? Red dresses are a must. I kind of have a history with this dress. I first spotted it at H&M about six or seven summers ago, but for some reason I decided I wouldn't buy it. Which was ridiculous. It was TWENTY DOLLARS. And, like the sucker I am, I rued that decision for ... well, years. Finally in the spring of 2005 it was mysteriously in stock again and I snapped it up. I haven't regretted it since. TWENTY DOLLARS, people - it's worth, like, a cent per wear at this point. The first time I actually wore it in public was that summer, in Philly, to go to a bird-oriented poetry/film event at the Institute of Contemporary Art. My then boyfriend was out of the country for the summer, as was his wont, and I decided to dress up. I put it on, took one look at myself in the mirror, called home and said, "I have never looked better than how I look right now. RIGHT NOW." And it's true (hey, I even got young hipster grad. students to hit on me!). I pack it to Greece every summer, I wear it in the States every summer - summer isn't summer without it.

Now the sandals. Heh heh ... what to say about those? I bought them last spring because I had pined for stupid calf-length gladiator sandals for a year and critics be damned. I LOVE THEM. I always get looked at oddly in the streets (especially in Athens) when I wear them, but they're so comfortable it's like walking on a little padded cloud. And hey - it's my way of wearing boots year-round. Here they are in their full glory:

Cute, no? Not as unflattering as I feared, either.

Anyway, I actually used a fun accessory in my hair, but, unfortunately - due to losing some data in the upgrade - you can't see proof of it. It was a black cloth rose on a hair elastic that I'd never actually worn outside. Usually I have so much going on (bangs, glasses, earrings, conservative job) that I just can't wear something ridiculous in my hair on top of it all. But, what with my contacts yesterday and my relatively low-key accessories, I wore it ... and it was adorable. That is all.

Anyway, I'm off to deal with my dissertation some more and act paranoid about my computer. Poor baby. Tschüs!

Red dress: H&M
Gladiator sandals: Madden Girl, by way of DSW